The efficacy of add-on yoga intervention in somatoform pain disorders: An open-label controlled trial

Patients diagnosed with somatoform pain disorders (SPDs) experience chronic pain without any obvious etiology and repeatedly seek medical help to find some relief from the symptoms.

In this study, the effect of 24 weeks of add-on yoga therapy was assessed on pain in patients diagnosed with SPDs through an open-label trial.

Seventy subjects (42 women) with a group mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of 35.41 ± 6.55 years, depending on their preference, were assigned to two groups, Yoga Group (YG: Yoga + standard treatment) (n = 38) or Wait-list Control Group (CG: standard treatment alone) (n = 32). An open-label, assessor-blind, controlled trial design was followed. The primary outcome variable was the severity of pain measured on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Secondary outcome variables included anxiety [Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)], depression [Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)], somatic symptoms [Scale for Assessment of Somatic Symptoms (SASS)], disability (WHODAS 2.0), and quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF). Assessment time points were baseline and 12 weeks for all the variables except pain, which was assessed at points 0, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Data were analyzed using Friedman's test (LOCF method filled out missing values) and linear mixed model analysis.

Post intervention, there was a significant improvement in the pain scores of patients in the YG compared to the CG at 24 weeks (P < 0.001). Significant between-group improvements favoring the YG group were also observed in the scores of anxiety (P < 0.01), depression (P < 0.05), somatic symptoms (P < 0.01), and physical health-related quality of life (P < 0.01) at 12 weeks. We also observed that patients in the YG group adhered to the treatment better at the end of 24 weeks than the CG group.

Adding yoga therapy to standard treatment improved scores of pain, anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, and physical health-related quality of life in SPDs compared to standard treatment alone.